Ukraine slid toward renewed political turmoil yesterday as Moscow-backed and pro-Western rivals both claimed victory in the nation's parliamentary election.
The counting of final votes turned the focus to small parties that could hold the key to who forms a ruling coalition.
Pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and reformist firebrand Yulia Tymoshenko, who wants the prime minister's post, both claimed victory in Sunday's election.
In a sign of rising nerves, Yanukovych's Regions Party bolstered its presence on Kiev's central square, the scene of countless demonstrations over the last three years in the ex-Soviet republic.
Their blue tents were dotted across the historic plaza known as the Maidan, apparently in a bid to control the territory.
Pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko, who led the 2004 pro-democracy Orange Revolution with Tymoshenko, ordered a police investigation into possible ballot fraud in the east of the country, Yanukovych's stronghold.
"Those committing fraud will be punished," Yushchenko said.
Yushchenko and Tymoshenko -- who promised before the election to renew their Orange coalition -- saw their combined parties gather 45 percent of the vote with 94 percent of the ballots counted.
Yanukovych's Regions Party was set to be the biggest in parliament with 34.2 percent, but even if he managed to link up with two smaller parties his coalition would only control 43.5 percent of the vote -- still 1.5 percentage points behind the Orange coalition.
The close result meant that every vote counted, with the outcome potentially depending on whether one more small party, the Socialists, managed to enter parliament.
At the latest count they had 2.94 percent of the vote, just under the legal 3 percent bar for being awarded seats. If they succeed, the Socialists could be kingmakers for Yanukovych.
Sunday's election was called early to put an end to a power struggle between Yushchenko and Yanukovych, who secured the premier's post after a strong performance in parliamentary elections 18 months ago.
The Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc scored unexpectedly strongly, with 30.8 percent of the vote, according to the latest count. She said she wanted to form a new government with Yushchenko within 48 hours.
But Yanukovych was defiant after a day of early results indicating a narrow victory for the Orange alliance.
"We won and I am sure that we will form the government," he said.
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